Pyre
by ArcanisRune
Summary: From Earth to Spira, a young woman is far from her home. Becoming a Summoner to be useful, she journeys Spira to find her way home. Alternate Canon; OC-Centric
1. Beginnings

" _Will you stand by me, always?"_

" _No matter what, my lady."_

 _ **FINAL FANTASY X: PYRE**_

* * *

Ages.

A simple notion once understood, now lost to time itself. A hand touched a glass door, before grabbing the handle and pulling it open. Grass and twigs in their hair, and dust on their sweater. Cheeks red from the cold, but a happy smile on their face. The woman at the stove sighed and turned off the fire, only to set aside the pan and walk over to the sweater-wearing intruder. Deft hands plucked grass and twigs out of their hair, throwing them into the trashcan nearby.

"Esther, aren't you ever going to learn to stop playing in the trees?"

"Maybe." The teen grinned, stepping outside once the de-grass and de-twigging of the hair had ended. They dusted themselves off before returning inside, shutting the glass door before a snow-white cat could get out. The cat meowed quietly but retreated to their bed in the living room, curling up in it and closing their eyes. "So, anything you need me to help with?"

"No." The woman went back to the stove.

"Alright! I'll be in my room if you need me!" With that, Esther took off.

"That girl..." The woman shook her head with a smile.

Once she'd retreated to her room, she shut the door. Walking over to the bookshelf, which was full of both video games and books, Esther merely looked over them before snapping her fingers and grabbing a fantasy book about a witch who never found her lost love. It was thought to be real, but the author had confirmed it was not. Sitting on her bed, she opened the book and stared at the first chapter.

It was in writing she didn't understand.

"..Huh? That's weird. I don't remember this being in the book." Holding it up, she tried thinking of where the writing had come from. "Ugh, this is ridiculous." Tossing said book onto the bed, she flopped backwards. The writing was familiar, but not familiar enough to decipher. Thinking on it, she pulled herself onto her bed and buried her face in her pillow. What a strange development. Her mother was busy cooking dinner, so she couldn't ask if they could go to the bookstore to find a different copy… not that one would be open at this time, anyway.

"Wonder what the words mean anyway." Esther mumbled into her pillow. "I know I've seen writing like that before, but I don't remember where." Turning over, she stared at the ceiling before sitting up and grabbing her book again.

 _Ouin zuinhao ryc uhmo pakih._

 _Y cbamm ihraynt, ihlryhkat._

 _Drana syo oad pa ruba ihdybbat fedreh oui._

"I wonder why it says 'yes' twice, anyway." Mediocre French at its finest. Esther stared at the words for a bit, before giving up on trying to decipher it. Closing the book, she set it on her dresser and laid back down, staring at the ceiling yet again. It wasn't really a big deal, was it? She'd figure it out. Maybe later, when she felt up to getting on her computer and asking her friends. Speaking of… she wondered how they were doing, and if they were wondering where she was. Probably not, but it never hurt to wonder about them. It was strange, to think like that. Maybe she didn't have actual friends…

Closing her eyes, she wondered.

"Am I really… Do people actually like me?"

* * *

" _Hey, can you hear me?"_

" _Hey!"_

* * *

Esther woke with a jolt, expecting to see her ceiling but instead seeing… a ruined ceiling. It was slightly chilly, but with the sweater she didn't really feel it. Sitting up, she looked around. Had someone been calling her? There was a campfire a few feet away from her, but it wasn't lit. Patting her pockets, she felt a hard lump in her left pocket. Right, a guy had asked her to hold onto his lighter a couple days ago and she carried it with her to return when she saw him when school resumed after break. Pulling out the lighter, she flicked it open.

"Right. Zippo. Carved. Zippo lighter. I feel like I'm supposed to have a cigar or something to go with this." She chuckled before trying to light the lighter. A couple flicks later, a small flame ignited and she puts the flame towards the wood before it lights. Gently blowing on the flames after closing the lighter and putting it in her pocket, she was happy to see them engulf the wood. Standing up, she stretched a little.

"Huh? It's already lit? How'd you do that?" A voice, oddly familiar, asked. She turned around, only to see a blond-haired teen standing there. Putting her hands in her pockets, Esther grinned.

"I had a bit of help from my good ol' friend, Zippo."

"So I got these for nothing?" The teen groaned, then his stomach grumbled. "...I need food."

"Don't think I have anything edible on me, sorry."

It was quiet for a moment, but then she heard something. Glancing around, she looked above. Nothing. Just her imagination. Great. At least she wasn't really phased by this happening. Sure, accidentally fall asleep before dinner's done and wake up in a strange place. Maybe it was a lucid dream. She didn't know, really, but it was fine that she didn't.

The fire flickered lower, and lower. Esther had done a search earlier but hadn't found any wood so she knew that this fire would end up dying at some point. Time seemed to go by faster, but she didn't understand why. Maybe it was because she was exploring instead of staying put like she usually did when at home. A small sigh escaped her just as the teen woke up and started panicking over the fire. That was when she heard it again. Standing up, she glanced upwards. It was then that it clicked. Ruins, the teen, the fire… This was Spira! Which meant that she wasn't dreaming if she could actually feel everything that was going on. Testing it, she pinched herself as the many-legged monster jumped off the wall and into their area. The teen pulled out a sword, which Esther remembered he got from Auron in the beginning of Final Fantasy 10. Which also meant she was defenceless. Damn it.

"Argh! Just what we didn't need! If only Auron were here..." The teen started an assault. He wasn't really any good, but that was to be expected of someone who didn't know how to fight with a sword. There didn't seem to be much force behind his attacks, either. Ugh, she felt like such a nerd knowing this stuff.

"Hey, try putting a bit more force into your attacks. You're barely denting the thing."

"And what makes you so sure of that? I don't see you with a sword!" The teen remarked. Esther sighed as he took a hit from the monster.

"Just listen. Put some more force behind your attacks. Fight to survive. This isn't a game. Wouldn't Auron say the same thing if he was here?"

"Ugh… Yeah, guess you're right." Reluctantly, the teen started attacking better. She smiled just a tiny bit. He listened. That was a good thing, in her book. Not many people took her seriously since she was such a child sometimes. Esther was slightly glad that it wasn't happening here. Though she expected him to ask her how she knew about Auron unless he realized she'd know from him saying the guardian's name earlier. It wasn't long before the wall behind them exploded and a girl in odd swimwear that made her look as if she was nearly naked arrived with a some other guys.

Right. The Al Bhed. Hadn't she studied their language when she didn't have all the Al Bhed primers to translate for her? Esther mentally berated herself for forgetting, but understood that it had been a long time ago when it happened. The girl assisted the teen with taking down the monster. She breathed a sigh of relief, but then noticed the Al Bhed had surrounded her and the teen. Well, then.

One grabbed her, while the other grabbed the fiend. The Al Bhed in a blue cap then brandished his weapon at the teen, as if wanting to kill him.

"Fryd ec drec?" He asked.

"Veahtc! Eh risyh teckieca!" The spiky-haired Al Bhed responded.

"Oac! Ed ec cu!" The bearded Al Bhed said.

"Fa gemm ed?" The gas-masked Al Bhed asked.

"Fyed!" Both Esther and the girl said at the same time. The guys looked confused and the one holding Esther tightened his grip.

"E's hu veaht. Ev oui mad sa ku, E lyh ramb oui." Esther hoped she pronounced the words right. Her heart was pounding in her chest. "E lyh ramb oui." The girl seemed to understand, but the others seemed more intent on killing the teen than listening to her.

"Pid fryd uv dra udran?" The blue-capped Al Bhed yet again brandished his weapon at the teen, who was still trying to get away. Esther swallowed, trying to force down a panic attack. Panicking wouldn't help in this situation whatsoever. She couldn't help if she was panicking… but she couldn't let them know she knew anything, either. Had to play dumb. Metagaming would just end up getting herself burned figuratively and literally.

"Ed'c y veaht! Gemm ed!" The gas-masked Al Bhed said, making a motion across his neck.

"Pid fryd ev ed'c risyh?" The girl inquired, glancing from me to the teen. The gas mask Al Bhed seemed really insistent on the teen being a fiend. The bearded man, however… He glanced at Esther, who gave a small, shaky smile at him as if trying to insist she wasn't a fiend.

"Drao yna dra cysa eh taydr!" The gas-masked Al Bhed made erratic motions, which didn't help Esther's growing panic. Great, she was going to die here. The girl then shook her head at the gas-masked Al Bhed.

"E vunpet ed! Fa pnehk ed fedr ic. Pudr uv dras." She commanded. Turning to Tidus, she leaned over before whispering something to him that Esther knew was the Al Bhed word for sorry before punching him. He fell, almost immediately. The girl then turned to Esther.

"Mad ran ku."

"Pid-!"

"Ev cra fyhdat du vekrd, cra fuimt'ja vuikrd fedr dryd kio yht E frah dra suhcdan yddylgat. Dra sucd cra lyh tu ec clnays, yht hu uha lyh rayn." The girl then motioned for them to release Esther, who was grateful for it.

"Dr-dryhg oui. E femm tu fryd E lyh du ramb." Esther heard her voice shake, and then mentally berated herself. Breaking down wouldn't help them at all.

"Oui lyh cdynd po lynnoehk res!" The bearded man pointed at the teen, who was unconscious on the ground. "Yht fung uh ouin bnuhihleydeuh! Ed'c yfvim!"

"Nekrd." Esther then grabbed the teen, hefting him up. Oof, he was really heavy. This didn't bode well. So, she thought for a second before rearranging how she was carrying him, letting him lean against her like dead weight. Following the Al Bhed, she made no sounds besides breathing as the others talked amongst themselves about what they were doing next.

The vessel they were using wasn't too far away, and Esther laid the teen against a railing. He soon came to, but she knew it wasn't going to go well for him. The two of them were captives, and that wasn't going to change no matter how much of the language Esther knew.

"Ced, lybdeja!" The spiky-haired Al Bhed whacked him which earned a gasp of pain from the teen. His attention turned to Esther, who backed away slightly.

"Ow, hey! Take it easy!" The teen rubbed his head.

"Hu sujehk, rayn?" The gas-masked Al Bhed said. The way they advanced on the teen made him back down almost immediately. The doors opened, and another Al Bhed arrived with the girl. He gestured at both Esther and the teen.

"Caynlr dras!" He said. The two Al Bhed did, finding nothing unusual but Esther's lighter, which she quickly reclaimed after a momentary argument between her and the spiky-haired Al Bhed. The tattooed Al Bhed then started to mime swimming. The teen didn't understand at all, which actually frustrated the tattooed Al Bhed. He then started miming the same thing towards Esther, who sighed slightly.

"Oayr, E lyh cfes. E lyh'd rumt so pnaydr muhkan dryh y vaf sehidac, druikr, ev dryd'c fryd oui'na ycgehk." Esther replied. "Yht E ghuf so bnuhihleydeuh haatc fung. E's uid uv bnyldela."

"Oui cbayg Al Bhed, duu?" The tattooed Al Bhed was actually surprised. Esther gave a nod.

"Oac. E cditeat ed frah E fyc ouihkan. Ykyeh, uid uv bnyldela." She shrugged, before shaking her head just a little. The tattooed Al Bhed then gave her a strange-looking device. She surmised that it was the same one he'd give the teen.

"You can understand _and_ talk to them?!" The teen asked.

"Pretty much." Esther shrugged again. "I.. didn't expect this to happen, though."

"He's saying you two can stay if you make yourselves useful." The girl said, just as the tattooed Al Bhed shoved another device at the teen. Yup, same one. Esther looked hers over, deciding not to comment instead of saying what they actually meant.

"You… understand us?" The teen asked, before getting smacked upside the head. "Ow, okay! I'll work!"

"We found some ancient ruins beneath us. It's not active now, but there should still be some power left. We're gonna go down there and activate it…and then we should be able to salvage the big prize!" The girl said, looking from Esther to the teen. "I'll get you two some supplies real quick. Stay here." She walked off as the others dispersed. The teen looked over at Esther.

"So… have a name?" He asked.

"Esther. What about you? I can't just say "Hey, you!" every time I wanna talk to you, if we're stuck together." Esther grinned at his frown. Wow, he was easy to tease… "Relax, I'm kidding. I'm not one to be totally serious unless we're in a dire situation."

"This _is_ a dire situation." The teen groaned. "I'm Tidus."

"Nice to meet you, Tidus."

The girl came back with supplies, and the three of them put on the odd machines before jumping off into the water. It was strange, as if the machines made the water air instead. Esther wasn't sure she wanted to do this anymore, but there was no choice in the matter. The three of them worked together to delve deep into the ruins as they fought different fiends along the way. Tidus and the girl made quick work, and at one point the girl made a motion towards Esther that basically asked if she could fight. Esther merely shook her head, as it wasn't necessary for her to fight back home since no one wanted to mess with the "crazy kid". She lingered behind as the two of them moved forward, only to encounter the fiend Nautilus. Making sure to hide behind some machinery so the fiend didn't lock onto her and attack her, too, she watched as Tidus and the girl fought against it. Esther sometimes poked her head out when the fiend's back was turned to gesture at Tidus to attack it a certain way, but he never understood.

After what felt like an hour, the fiend was defeated and Esther swam over to the controls before giving them a good "hammering" like Tidus did in the game. She grinned as the controls flickered to life and opened the final hatch. The three of them then swam towards the depths, finding a big ship under the water. The girl pointed upwards, and the three of them surfaced after about twenty minutes of non-stop swimming. Taking off the machines, they reboarded the ship. Esther sat down near the edge, taking a small rest as Tidus tried following the Al Bhed but basically got told to stay outside. His stomach grumbled again.

"Still don't have anything, sorry."

"Wish they'd feed us." Tidus sat down near the machinery. "It just seems… rude not to."

"We're captives, Tidus. We don't have a say." Esther glanced out to the ocean. It was a good while until the girl returned, carrying two trays of food. She set one in front of Esther, who took it with a small word of thanks before watching her give one to Tidus after kicking him to make sure he was awake.

"Whoa, right on!" He started eating really fast, before starting to choke. The girl giggled and handed him a canteen full of water.

"It's cause you eat too fast." Once the two were done eating, Esther stood up… while Tidus stood up and stretched.

"Your stomach's going to tie in knots doing that." She warned, with a shrug. It wasn't like he'd listen to her right now, anyway.

"She's right, you know." The girl said. Tidus didn't seem to realize she said anything, so the girl pouted a bit. "Hey!"

"Hello there. What is your name?" He asked.

"Rikku."

"Whoa! You really do understand!"

"Yeah, didn't realize that earlier when she started speaking to us?" Esther asked. "Common sense, really. Rikku here is bilingual. Two languages."

"Uh..." Tidus rubbed the back of his head.

"I would've said something earlier, but everyone thought oui were a fiend." Rikku pointed out.

"Uh.. 'we'?"

"Oh! "Oui" means "you"."

Esther let them talk, walking over to the railing and looking out to the sea. It was strange. Here she was, in Spira, and yet everything was going as it should. Shouldn't something have changed by now? She knew that interference, like cheat codes, lead to something else happening that shouldn't. By all means, something should've been triggered by now. Or maybe she was overthinking it.

"And what about you? Where are you from?" Rikku's voice snapped her out of it.

"Me? Oh, from Kilika." It was the first place Esther could've thought of. If she said she was from another world entirely, then she would've probably gotten the same lecture as Tidus probably did. Tidus ended up kicking the railing after a few moments of silence, and the entire boat shook. The other Al Bhed arrived, talking about Sin, and a wave knocked both her and Tidus off the ship. Losing consciousness, Esther only remembered Rikku's concerned and scared face among the Al Bhed.

* * *

The sun was shining high in the air, and Esther woke with a start, finding herself in the water. The ship was nowhere in sight. Of course, the two of them had been dragged off the ship. Sin had done it, hadn't it…? Tidus woke up not too long after her, and got hit in the back of the head with a Blitzball. He noticed the blitzball, and got excited. They both looked to shore, seeing a bunch of people waving at them.

"Hey! You okay?!" The redhead shouted. Esther waved back, but Tidus waved back then did a blitzball trick, sending the ball flying away. Swimming to shore, she paused as the men surrounded Tidus. So Blitzball really was a big deal. The redhead asked if he could do the move again, which he showed off. Esther snickered, shaking her head.

"You wanna try?" The redhead held the blitzball to her. She took it carefully, looking it over and then giving a nod. It took her a moment, but she tossed the ball up and… missed twice before actually kicking it away a good distance.

"I have never played Blitzball in my life. I've kicked things, but never a Blitzball." Esther murmured to herself as the attention returned to Tidus. He mentioned about getting close to Sin and his head being all "foggy-like". The redhead introduced himself as Wakka, captain of the Besaid Aurochs.

"Guessin' Sin's toxin got to you, too?" He asked.

"I'm fine. No symptoms. I just daydream a lot sometimes." Esther said. Tidus' stomach rumbled. "...I seriously should pack snacks just for your ever-hungry stomach, Tidus. Geez."

"Not my fault!" Tidus argued, which made Wakka laugh.

"Let's head back to the village. I'll get ya somethin'." Wakka said, walking off. Tidus and Esther followed after, though Tidus asked Wakka about Zanarkand and Wakka tried cheering him up. Feeling like a third wheel in things, Esther slightly lagged behind to let them have their space. A third wheel, was that what she actually was? Shaking her head, she hurried to catch up to Wakka and Tidus, only to make it when Tidus was pushed into the water.

Wakka dove in after, and Esther jumped in after the two of them. Swimming along the river towards the end, having to dive under, she watched as Wakka propositioned Tidus to join his team and Tidus reluctantly did so. Esther had to wonder what would happen with her if she didn't push herself into the team. Would she be left behind on Besaid? It was a possibility. Once on dry land again, Wakka explained to Tidus about the Auroch's losing streak and the tournament last year. Tidus helped him see a new way of looking at blitzball. Shoving her hands in her pockets, she walked ahead before turning around.

"After ten years of never having a win, put your all into this final game. Make sure to make it count, or you'll never forgive yourself. Words from a friend of mine who used to coach." Esther said.

"Ain't that the truth. You sure that'll work, though?" Wakka asked.

"As sure as I am that the sea is blue." She remarked with a grin. "Anyway, I think Tidus' stomach still needs filling. Let's keep going."

As if on cue, Tidus' stomach rumbled and they laughed before heading to the road. A couple of men ran out in front of them.

"Ah, the ones from the sea." The tall, burly redhead said.

"Be on guard. There are fiends on the road today." The shorter black-haired male said.

"After your run-in with Sin today, 'twould be a shame if something happened now." The redhead remarked.

"Thanks for warning us. We'll keep on the lookout." Esther gave a pseudo-curtsy as the two men ran off.

"Who were they?" Tidus asked.

"Luzzu and Gatta. Crusaders." Wakka replied.

"Eh? Crews of what?"

"What? You forgot that too?"

Tidus just deflated at Wakka's words, and Wakka put a hand on his shoulder. The two of them talked a bit more before the three of them set off again. A few fiends rushed into the path, and then turned to notice them. Tidus pulled out his sword and Wakka somehow got his hands on a blitzball. Esther backed away, quietly, before one of them charged at her. With a loud scream, she flung a hand at the fiend while covering her face, hoping to smack it away. The smell of burning skin reached her nostrils and she covered her nose and mouth before seeing the fiend run away.

"Whoa! I didn't know you could do that!" Tidus said.

"Do.. what?" Esther asked, voice muffled from holding her hands over her face to filter out the smell. "I didn't do anything."

Wakka and Tidus dispatched the other two fiends before Wakka walked over to Esther.

"You can use magic?" He asked. Esther glanced up at him. Boy was he a tall one. Stepping back to get a better look, she shook her head.

"I can't. I'm not even sure what happened."

"Looked like magic to me. Tell you what. When we get to the village, I'll introduce you to someone who knows how to use magic, too. Might help you not run away from every fiend you see." Wakka said.

"To be fair, though, I have no weapon and I'm generally an easy target. Ask Tidus." Esther gestured at Tidus, who nodded in agreement. "But let's keep going before more show up. I don't wanna end up a fiend's lunch."

* * *

Besaid Village was a quaint, quiet village. Before entering, Wakka had asked if they knew the prayer, which Esther had responded in the positive. Memories of playing as if she and her friends were Final Fantasy characters flooded her mind, and she checked out for a bit as Tidus and Wakka went over the prayer… or, for Tidus, the blitzball sign for victory. Wakka told both of them to check out the village, which ended up with the three of them parting ways as Wakka went to his hut and Tidus explored. Esther, on the other hand, headed towards the temple. The doors were ajar, but easy to pass through. It seemed a lot friendlier than most churches she'd been to.

The resounding hymn from the statues reminded her of the game. The voices weren't the same though, as each one singing was different but they all blended together perfectly. Esther glanced around for a moment.

"Ten years have passed since Lord Braska became a high summoner. And finally, we have a statue for our temple!" A priest said. Esther followed their gazes. The statue was big, and the spitting image of what Lord Braska had looked like when he was alive. They really put care into the statues. Moving a bit closer, she then looked at her right hand. It had been feeling a bit warm since the fiend attack earlier.

"A high summoner who gave his life to protect Spira from Sin." She said, looking back at the statue.

"Indeed. It seems you've been studying. But this is your first time here at our temple, is it not?" The priest asked, looking at her with interest. "From what word has said, you and a young man ran into Sin. Your faith must have kept Sin's toxin from affecting you."

"I suppose it did." But she didn't have faith in Yevon, so it wasn't that. Perhaps Sin's toxin just didn't affect her like it did everyone else. Or maybe it did and she was just lucky? It raised many questions in her mind, none which she voiced.

"Why have you come here, young one?"

"To offer my prayers to the high summoners, for guidance." _Because that's all I've got. I really need to think of more excuses._

Time passed, and Tidus did visit for a brief moment before heading to Wakka's. Esther, intrigued by the architecture of the place, merely looked around and didn't disturb anyone while they were praying. She wondered if it help her fit in, knowing more than she should. The priest left the temple after a bit, and returned with Wakka in tow… followed by a majority of the villagers.

"So she hasn't come out yet..." Wakka said.

"Wait, someone's in the room where the Fayth is?" Esther asked, feigning ignorance. She knew who was in there, but didn't want to make it out to seem like she was crazy or some sort of clairvoyant or something like that. "Is she okay?"

"We don't know." The priest said.

"Should… shouldn't we go in there and see?" Esther asked worriedly. "I know the rules, but desperate times..."

At that moment, Tidus came in and struck up a conversation with both Wakka and the priest, before going into the trials. Wakka cursed under his breath and went after him. The priest then looked to Esther, who raised her hands in a sign of surrender and resigned herself to wait. A couple hours later, people emerged from the room. Esther moved aside as the villagers rushed to the brown-haired girl in front. They were asking her questions and the procession moved outside, with Esther following far behind as if afraid. The summoner then summoned an Aeon for the village, who cheered in response. Esther clapped a couple times before putting her hands in her pockets.

"Seeing this makes me miss home."

* * *

The next day came, and Esther was up before the sun rose. Getting out of bed, she pulled on her shoes and put her lighter back in her pocket before heading outside into the village. Unlike with Tidus, the villagers treated her like they did yesterday. As if she'd been there for most of her life. Wakka, seeing her, waved her over. Esther noticed a woman standing there with him. Tall and drop-dead gorgeous. Swallowing, she made her way over.

"Is this who you were talking about?" The woman asked.

"Yeah. Yesterday, she burned a fiend without even realizing it!" Wakka responded eagerly. The woman shook her head before turning her gaze on Esther. Her only visible eye widened slightly before she composed herself.

"I see. She does have the capability for magic. However..."

"However?" Esther looked at her curiously. "Something wrong?"

"Only your ability to learn other magic. It seems that your ability is quite… stunted."

"And you can tell that just by looking at me?"

"I can sense it."

"Lulu, go easy on her, ya? She just started usin' it yesterday." Wakka said. "She's probably just a little green."

A little green? Esther pulled out her lighter and opened it, staring at the carving. Through everything so far, the lighter had been her constant companion. She should probably name it or something. While mulling that over, Tidus finally exited the lodge and Wakka gave Tidus a sword. The summoner, whose name was Yuna (as said by Wakka, though Esther already knew this), was dragging a big suitcase behind her. She was made to leave it behind, and the four of them headed out of Besaid. As luck would have it, about partway to the Promontory, fiends attacked. But Lulu waved the others away.

"Let her handle it." Lulu said, indicating to Esther.

"Alone?! Lu, I told ya, she's not as good of a magic user as you!"

"If anything happens, we'll be right here." Esther sighed as Lulu said that, resigning herself to her fate and stepping in front of the others. Her right hand still felt warm, as if the fire she'd whacked a fiend with were still there. "The fire from before, it's still lingering. Call upon it, and strike."

Esther stared at the fiends before her, before clenching her left hand into a fist. Just like yesterday. Swiping her right hand across diagonally, a flaming shockwave crashed into two of the fiends and they dispersed into pyreflies. "That's good. Now, once more."

Ducking and weaving as the fiends attacked, Esther had to dance around as she tried to get hits off. Her heel hit a rock, and she was sent tumbling down. A fiend nearly got her, if not for the blitzball that knocked it away. Esther dispatched the last one quickly after getting up and dusted the back of her pants off.

"Keep practising. You'll be able to utilize it better as you do." Lulu said, before walking on ahead. Esther groaned, putting a hand to her forehead.

Was this her life now?

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ Sorry, I was in the groove so I didn't translate the Al Bhed back to English. There's a translator there for that if you search, though. But I don't blame you all for skipping if you did.

Hello, thanks for reading the first chapter of _Pyre_! I decided to work on this while planning out Where the River Flow's rewrite. Esther is an old OC of mine who I've remade and revamped just for this fanfic. It reads kinda like a self-insert, doesn't it…? I thought it might be neat to throw her into FFX and see what she would do.

As for possible OOC-ness, you must forgive me. I haven't played FFX in a while. As for Esther knowing the characters though their names never showing up until said, a thought crossed my mind in which "even if the character knows, the reader may not so wait until they introduce themselves".

Esther knowing Al Bhed, though having off pronunciation, is something I decided on while writing the fic. Though it didn't give her much preferential treatment, since she was treated as a captive anyway.

The whole thing with her and Lulu though will be expanded on in later chapters, when it's not 6:30am and I'm not slowly wishing my bed would let me sleep.


	2. Sin's Assault

Making their way up to the Promontory, Lulu and Yuna looked at the village below. It was silent for many moments, when Tidus spoke up and tried hurrying them. Wakka said that they'd wait, and when Yuna walked up, asked if she was ready. She nodded in the positive, and they all headed to the statue at the Promontory. Esther looked at it for a moment as Lulu, Yuna and Wakka prayed before it. Deciding that luck was better than them possibly never returning, Esther also prayed before the statue. Tidus, however, was confused at why the four of them were praying there.

Guess he hadn't been paying attention.

"Hey, blitzbrain, might wanna pray or else we might never come back." Esther pointed out.

"Oh! Right." Tidus turned to the statue and prayed before it momentarily before turning to the others. Yuna giggled, Lulu just stood there with her arms crossed and Wakka walked over and gave Tidus a smack on the back. With a magic lesson from Lulu on what elements to choose during battle with Flans, and a good show from Valefor and Yuna, they continued forward. Tidus walked on ahead, and Esther had to run up to grab his sleeve.

"Don't walk so fast! This is a journey we're starting together! What, are you afraid of being left behind?" Esther asked.

"H-hey, let go!" Tidus got his sleeve away from her. Just then, there was a loud roar and someone… or _something_ jumped from the ruins and onto the ground. Tidus moved back, putting an arm out to keep Esther back as well. The two of them moved backwards. The blue-furred being punched the ground and let out a feral roar before pulling out a lance, pointing it at them. Tidus pulled out the sword Wakka had given him, and Esther glanced around before just backing up a bit more. She may have learned how to summon the fire from before, but she didn't exactly trust herself to be able to use it. It was something she needed to work on, anyway. The blue-furred being went after her, and Esther dodged as best as she could, as Tidus went in to block the lance. It was basically an assault, up until Wakka spoke up.

"That's enough!"

The blue-furred being put away the lance before leaving. Tidus stared after the being in disbelief.

"What's with that guy?" He asked.

"Unprovoked attack. What the heck did I _do_?" Esther wondered aloud.

"That's Kimahri Ronso, of the Ronso Tribe. He's learned the fiends' way of fighting." Wakka explained, as if that was the answer to both Esther and Tidus' questions. Esther groaned, putting her hand to her head as Tidus protested that no, that wasn't what he meant. Yuna walked up, laughing and explaining a bit about Kimahri before the five of them continued towards the beach. Some villagers were here, and gave Yuna various items to take with her on her journey. Esther found it endearing. They all cared about Yuna, and were here to see her off. Some people weren't, as the thought of seeing her off was a bit too much for them to handle. So, instead, they'd sent items and their good luck wishes.

Yuna accepted them all with a smile, and promised she'd be back.

As the villagers followed them, Esther mildly wondered if this was what her life was going to actually be from now on. Would she have to do something drastic in order to go with them? It didn't seem so, as she was able to board the boat along with everyone that was going. Yuna turned to the villagers, saying goodbye while doing the prayer towards them. As the boat sailed away, the villagers returned the gesture. Esther stayed on the deck as the Aurochs went below deck into a cabin. Tidus and Yuna's guardians stayed on the deck as well. Tidus was monkeying around, and all Esther could do was sigh. The guy was like a kid in a candy shop… but, then again, he'd never been outside of Zanarkand. Everything wasn't like it was here. Staring out at the sea, she wondered how Rikku was doing. Did she and the other Al Bhed get out of there safely? She didn't know, honestly, and frankly _couldn't_ know. This was all so surreal. What if Rikku hadn't survived Sin's attack? There was nothing stopping everything from changing.

"You do know that they say Sin lurks the waters?" A voice, with a slight deep bass, said. She turned around and looked at the owner of the voice. A young man, about two inches taller than her with grey eyes and braided brown hair, stood before her. Though at a glance, she couldn't tell he was a man. It was his voice that gave it away. He wore a pink scarf, a white open cardigan, a black tanktop underneath and black pants tucked into grey boots. The young man seemed to know exactly what he was doing as he leaned in close to Esther. She leaned back, a bit nervous around him. What a strange man he was. What was stranger was that he had what seemed to be a small staff on his hip.

"Yeah. And?" Esther tried playing it cool. She _knew_ Sin lurked in the waters, and what would happen to Kilika… Aw, damn it. And there went her cover right before she knew it. No one in Kilika would know her, unless she could pass off the deceased as—no, that would be offending the deceased from Sin's attack. Esther gave a sigh as she stared into the man's grey eyes. He grinned, as if knowing what she was thinking. That, in itself, freaked her out. She pushed him away and he laughed.

"You're a funny girl." He said, putting his hands in his pockets. "They call me Marcello. Does a pretty girl have a name?"

Esther stared at him for a moment. Was that… flattery? Or was he just trying to get her name out of her as fast as he could? She didn't know, but shrugged and put a hand in her pocket. The lighter was still there, thank goodness… Not that she knew what to do with it, anyway. "I'm Esther. Nice to meet you… Uh, Marcello." She winced a little, remembering that name from Dragon Quest 8. Seriously, was that a name for every occasion? Either way, she was about to speak again but the boat shook, sending her falling into his arms. He gripped the railing with one hand, holding her tight with his free arm so she didn't go falling off the side.

"It's Sin!" Someone shouted.

"Sin has come!" Another said.

"I did say that Sin was lurking in the waters…" Marcello said with a frown, letting Esther go once the boat stopped shaking after Sin was tethered to it. Sin's fin showed from outside of the water, and the scales shot off onto the deck of the ship they were on. She noticed Tidus, Lulu and Kimahri engaging a few while Wakka and Yuna engaged the others. The other people on the ship were too scared to go anywhere near them. Marcello sighed, plucking out the small staff and holding it in front of him. He closed his eyes, concentrating for a moment. The chime of a bell sounded from the staff, and Esther noted the top of the staff was a _bell_ of all things. A _bell._ Why would he have one? Who was he?

A torrent of wind cut a couple of the Sinscales in half, but two more took their place. Marcello cursed under his breath. "Damn. It looks like we'll have to keep cutting them down. Hey, Esther, can you fight?"

"M-Me?!" Esther backed away. "I can _climb_ , but like hell can I fight anything… I barely got any training before we boarded this ship!" She looked flustered, even scared, as she said that. Marcello shrugged and stepped forward, the bell staff held out in front of him. He started murmuring words as a light wind blew his hair upwards. Thrusting the bell outwards, five stones flew out of nowhere to hit the Sinscale about to attack Lulu. It burst into pyreflies, and he gave a sigh. Lulu looked back to see him putting the staff away and walking towards the fight.

Esther, on the other hand, backed into the railing…

Just as Sin jerked the ship to the right.

She lost her balance and fell overboard, into the water below. It enveloped her entire body, and she shut her eyes and held her breath. The breather she had from the Al Bhed wasn't on her person anymore as she pat herself down to find it. It spelled her doom. She was going to drown, and it would be her own damn fault. Because she didn't stay away from the railing… the side of the ship that she'd been near. It was stupid of her, very stupid. She was going to drown and die, she was going to die…

 _I don't want to die!_ She thought as she opened her eyes. How much longer could she hold her breath? It would be too late before anyone realized she was gone. Just as she closed her eyes again, something wrapped around her waist and _pulled._ Before she knew it, her head broke the surface and she coughed, breathing in the sea air. Opening her eyes, she noticed Wakka there with a frown on his face. Tidus surfaced not a moment later with Yuna. The two of them got the girls back on the ship and the crew put blankets around the two of them to warm them back up as the sea air was cold. Esther just tightened the blanket around herself and stared out into the distance. They'd know she was lying soon. About being from Kilika. No one there would know her. And then what? They would want to know the truth…

How many people had she told…? How many people knew now? Kilika was the only place she could think of… and that was a stretch. By far, Esther knew that she would lose their trust once they found out that she didn't live there whatsoever. That no one knew her. And then what? What would she do then? She didn't know. This was unknown, uncharted territory for her. And now, she wasn't even..

She wasn't…

"Sin destroyed Kilika…" Wakka said, after some time had passed. "I'm sorry, I know that was your home, Esther."

"It's fine." Esther responded. "It's… fine."

"That was your home. Aren't you sad?" Lulu inquired.

"I guess it just hasn't settled in yet." Esther got up and looked towards the ship's destination, Kilika. It _had_ been destroyed. Moments before they'd gotten there. But Esther felt nothing. Was that… bad? She didn't really understand why she didn't feel upset for the actual residents of that village. If only… if only she knew them, maybe she would actually _feel_ something instead of just nothing. Was something wrong with her to not feel upset for others? Probably, but she didn't really understand it well. There was nothing wrong with not understanding, was there..?

Or…

"Esther?" Marcello put a hand on her shoulder and she just sighed before shaking her head and turning away as the boat pulled in. "Let's go see if your family's still around. Hopefully Sin didn't get to them, too."

"…" Esther just nodded. Instead of saying anything, she let Marcello lead her off the ship and into town. Inquiries turned up nothing, and most of the villagers were all with Yuna, watching her do the Sending for the lost souls. Tucking some hair behind her ear, Esther stared out to the sea before making a decision. Heading into the forest, with Marcello trailing behind asking about a million questions about where she was going, she knew where she was going to head.

If this worked, she'd keep it under wraps until needed.

But then she stopped on the bridge, remembering the game itself. There were four Summoners. Would having five throw the balance off? Or were there more out there that she didn't know of?

"Esther. Hey, Esther. Why are you heading this way?"

Shaking her head, Esther turned around to smile at Marcello. The smile didn't reach her eyes, which made him frown.

"Maybe I should be more useful. Shouldn't I? Becoming a Summoner might just be the edge I need to actually be useful. Right?"

* * *

 _ **ENDING NOTE:**_

Hah! After leaving Pyre to sink for a while, I finished another chapter. It's shorter than the others because I haven't really been working on it. Then my laptop died. Then I decided to go to the library. Thankfully my external drive hooks up to the library computers so I wrote as much of this as I could until I ran out of steam. Sadly, my laptop dying means that FFX went with it and until I get my new one in a few weeks, I have to rely on youtube videos to set the story in the right direction.

As for what's up with Esther, maybe you can find out. If you do, I'll give you an internet cookie or something.


	3. Trial of Ifrit

_**A/N:**_ Oh my god I left this for ages. Sorry about that. I only just remembered it after wanting to write yet another failed fanfiction. For the fight scene in this, you may want to put this after the youtube url: (watch?v=5h3U1tV_kBs) for the music I wrote the scene to. I tried my hand at making it more fighty, but fighting is really not my strong suit. But hey, can't get better without trying!

 **EDIT 8/28/2019:** Updated Esther's outfit description.

* * *

"A… Summoner?"

He looked at her with his eyes wide with fear. Esther's smile faded and she turned away. "It takes a while for the communion, correct? They'll be here for a while, so..." With that, Esther headed for the forest. Marcello ran after her, trying to stop her. But she was determined. Passing the Crusaders with just a nod of her head, she followed the familiar path to the Kilika Temple. Unlike in the game, she noted there was barely any resistance except for a stray fiend she merely dispatched without a thought. Determined to do this, the young woman climbed the steps up to the temple. By the time she reached the first landing, she felt herself needing a break, but slapped her cheeks instead and kept going.

A summoner wasn't without trials, after all. She could consider this her first trial. The trial of the seemingly endless stairs. Upon reaching the second landing, Marcello groaned and wiped his forehead as Esther continued forward. There were no words, only her determination that lead them forward. Once they arrived at the temple, Marcello reached out a hand but stopped midway and retracted it, looking at his palm. With a sigh, he put his hands in his pockets and continued to follow her into the temple.

"Why have you come to this temple?" The priest asked, staring at the two of them. "We are currently reading the rites for the falle-"

"I'm here to take the trials on." Esther said. "I'm becoming a Summoner. And this guy here is my Guardian-to-be."

"...I see." The priest stepped aside. "Then go, Lady Summoner, and take on the trials. I pray that you do not fail despite your lack of training."

"Thanks."

* * *

Fire was everywhere. The temple was the resting place for the Aeon, Ifrit, after all. Esther picked up one of the spheres and watched as the doors opened to the rest of the Trials. A puzzle meant to be solved. The puzzle, however, was extremely familiar to her and it was only because she'd done this trial several times over due to a consistent power outage that seemed to be against her ever clearing that trial. The spheres placed in the proper places opened up more of the Cloister, so she was able to progress with Marcello trailing along behind her, muttering to himself.

With the final sphere placed, the exit made itself known. The Fayth was up ahead, and the Aeon would be hers soon. Esther put her hand on the door, and it opened slowly. Turning to Marcello, she gave a small smile that didn't reach her eyes before turning her back on him and walking inside. The door shut behind her, leaving only her footsteps and the Hymn to be heard. It only took a minute for her to arrive at the Fayth. The man appeared before her, a ghost from the past.

"You are here to be a Summoner." He stated. "Pray, and we will see if you become one."

Esther nodded, and performed the Yevon prayer as she knelt down. The man's spirit dove within her and she gasped, seizing up before falling backwards. The ceiling was the last thing she saw before everything went black.

...Except it was only black for a moment before cracked earth formed under her feet, and the world around her was engulfed in flames. The man stood before her, before his being vanished and was replaced by the familiar Aeon, Ifrit.

 _Now come, Summoner! Show me your resolve, and I will lend you my strength as Ifrit!_ The man's voice echoed through her being. She bit her lip, pushing herself into a makeshift fighting stance. The world around her continued to burn, but she didn't feel the heat. No, she felt nothing. Ifrit roared before charging at her, and as he reared up to attack her, she dodged out of the way. Turning to face him, she wondered how to beat him. He gathered fire and threw it at her, in which she merely covered her face with her hands and closed her eyes as she waited for the fire to explode around her. But… a few moments passed before...

 _How?! How were you able to absorb that?!_ Ifrit roared. _My fire… You're immune?! But how?!_

Esther lowered her arms and opened her eyes. The fire dispersed as she looked at her hands. She was unharmed. Her clothing was still in tact as well. Roaring in anger, Ifrit charged to attack. They would be at a standstill if Esther didn't do something. Both of them could absorb fire and were immune to it. She had to think of something. Dodging around Ifrit's attacks, watching how he moved to get a good idea of where to dodge, Esther came up with a plan. She would use the momentum of his next attack to get onto his back, and disable him from there. It was worth a shot. As he came running, she watched for his attack and dodged out of the way, only to grab one of his horns and swing herself onto his back. He roared and shook, but Esther held on tight.

"I can do this..." She murmured to herself. Unfortunately, she was thrown off and hit the ground hard. Wincing from pain, Esther stood back up shakily and watched for Ifrit's next attack. He turned to face her and roared loudly, using Meteor Strike instead of going to claw her. Esther dodged out of the way, but got hit in the back with a claw attack, sending her into the cracked earth. She was going to _lose._ She wasn't going to be a Summoner…. She was going to be _useless…._

 _No… I refuse. I will **NOT** be seen as weak again._

Esther turned around onto her injured back, putting both her hands out in front of her. She felt the warmth in her hands as she pushed for the magic that Lulu said she had inside of her. The air shifted and warped in front of her hands before they burst into flames, making a familiar crackling sound as they did. She kept pushing for the magic, sending it all towards her hands.

"I won't lose to you!" Esther shouted, before expelling the magic from her body in a fiery torrent. Ifrit roared again as he got smacked in the face with it, stumbling back. Although it didn't hurt him, it had dazed him enough for Esther to get back on her feet and onto his back. Using the same technique, she fired another blast of fire into his neck, sending him into the cracked earth. Jumping off his back onto the ground, she stumbled and fell onto her knees, panting heavily and sweating.

 _...I see. So you do have what it takes to continue forward._ Ifrit stood up. _Turn, and look at me, Summoner._

She did as she was told, standing up shakily and turning to see the man instead of the Aeon. They stared at each other before he put a hand on his hip as the flames died down. The sun started to rise behind the man, and he grinned.

 _You've passed my test. Congratulations, Lady Summoner. I will be your faithful Aeon. Call upon me in your time of need, and I'll be there._

The world turned black, and warmth spread through her as the Aeon, Ifrit, was granted to her by the Fayth. Esther's eyes shot open and she sat up, staring at the Fayth. Though she could hear the Hymn, the spirit did not show back up. Shakily standing back up, feeling like she'd expended all of her energy, Esther turned and used the wall to lean on as she walked out of the room. Marcello was on the other side, waiting. When he saw the door open, he immediately ran over and helped her the rest of the way out.

"Did it work…?" He asked quietly.

"….I-I'm a Summoner now." Esther said, voice shaking. "I-I'm useful now… It's… a happy day for everyone."

With those words, she passed out. Marcello stumbled as her full weight was put on her and groaned before adjusting to pick her up in his arms and carried her to the elevator that had brought them down there in the first place. When he got there, the elevator came down with people on it. Marcello remembered them from the boat and stepped aside.

"Hey, hold on a sec." Wakka made his way over first. "Isn't that Esther? What happened to her? Did she-"

"She's a Summoner now." Marcello said, frowning slightly. "Do you think the priest will let her rest in the Temple?"

"He shouldn't have any objections." Yuna said with a soft smile that eased Marcello's worries. Lulu and Kimahri stepped off the elevator as he got on it. With a word of thanks, the elevator ascended to the top level, only to step off just as Tidus got pushed on by a burly man in overalls. Deciding not to get into it, Marcello continued forward to the main room, only to have the priest fuss over Esther and have her put in a room with him watching over her. She slept for a couple days, in which the priest had called in a seamstress to help with Esther's outfit, as she wasn't in proper attire for a summoner. The day Esther awoke, the seamstress was still there.

"Oh, you're up, Lady Summoner. Please, come over here." The seamstress got up and gestured to a podium. Getting out of bed, Esther stood on it. "...Oh, could you please undress? And no worries, your Guardian is outside."

She blinked, but sighed and obliged, taking off her sweater, boots and jeans, leaving her in her underwear. The seamstress went over her measurements before going to her workspace she'd set up before starting to work. Esther sat on her bed, waiting while covered with a blanket, as the seamstress made the ordered clothes. When they were finished a few hours later, she was ushered back to the podium and made to wear the clothes. A tattered cloak with a fur hood, a black sleeveless turtleneck, a pair of transparent black gloves that went up to her biceps, a cream knee-length skirt with tattered black leggings and knee-high black boots.

It was obvious the cloak wasn't new, but a hand-me-down. The seamstress told her it was a lucky charm that'd ensure her safe return, but… Esther wasn't sure she'd ever return. Once she was done being outfitted, the seamstress left and Esther took that as a cue to leave herself. The priest and the believers said they would pray for her success as she and Marcello left the temple and headed back to the town. The townsfolk didn't bat an eyelash, which made things a lot easier for her. Heading towards the boat, she was stopped by one of the villagers.

"Are you leaving?" The old woman asked. Esther turned and nodded.

"Yeah. I need to start my pilgrimage." The woman's crinkled face fell. She felt bad. These people needed as much help as they could get. With a sigh, the woman turned back to the village.

"You summoners always leave behind those that care the most about you. My son was about your age when he left on his own pilgrimage. His guardian brought back the only thing left of him, his staff. Come with me for a moment before you go, Lady Summoner. I want to give you a parting gift."

Esther looked at Marcello, who shrugged before the two of them followed the old woman to her tiny cottage, relatively unharmed despite the attack from Sin a few days ago. There was some damage, but not so much that it would take days before it was repaired. Opening the door, the old woman ushered them inside and shut it behind her, going to the room in the back for a moment before coming back out, holding what looked like an odd wooden cane.

"I know this isn't much of a parting gift, but most summoners use staves. I hope it can help you in your journey. It's… hard for me to part from it, but my son once said that someone else may need use of him someday." She chuckled to himself before holding the staff out to Esther. "And by that, he means this staff. Take good care of it. It's the only way you can summon your Aeon, young Summoner."

With that, she ushered them out and bid them farewell. Both Esther and Marcello looked at each other.

"Okay, a random old lady gave you a gift. Unprompted, even." Marcello blinked. "That's weird."

"...You said it." Esther sighed and looked at the staff before looking to the ship. They had to go. The two of them ran towards the ship, wondering why the old lady was so generous despite not knowing Esther. Getting onboard after Marcello paid the fare for travel to Luca, the two of them sat against the railing. Thinking back, it'd been some time since she'd first arrived in this world. And things were already different, but yet the same. Characters that were never in the game were apparent, and she was finding out more things about the world that the game never told her. Like the battle with the Aeon… Setting the staff on her lap, Esther looked at the sky.

"I woke up in a temple, it was cold. And I met Tidus there." She said, staring at the clouds. "I was useless except for my rudimentary knowledge of Al Bhed. And now… Now look at me. I'm a Summoner starting her pilgrimage..."

She rustled in the pocket on the cloak, pulling out the lighter. She'd stashed it there before shoving her clothes in the bag Marcello was carrying. Opening it, she flicked it and the fire lit up. Staring at it dancing, she remembered the way the air had warped around her hands before flames had appeared. She'd done it on command in a time of need… Closing the lighter and putting it back in her pocket, she looked at Marcello.

"So, you're not from here." Marcello chuckled. "I guess it's fate that brought you here. Maybe you were needed for something."

Esther laughed. "I doubt it! I'm useless..." She trailed off, looking away and the smile fading as fast as it came. Marcello sighed and pat her back before throwing the hood of her cloak over her head. "H-hey!"

"Chill." Marcello chuckled. "You're fine, Esther."

"Rude..." Esther put the hood back down and sighed. It wasn't long before Yuna and her Guardians boarded as well. It'd been a while, so Yuna must've passed out not too long after she had. That meant that they'd be going to Luca at the same time. Getting up, she stretched and walked over to them, patting Tidus on the shoulder.

"So, what're you going to do when you get to Luca?" She asked. "Besides Blitzball?"

"Huh? O-oh… I'm going to try and find my way back to Zanarkand. What about you?" Tidus asked.

Esther chuckled. "Well, I think I'll be missing out on that. I don't plan on sticking around when we reach Luca. Good luck with what you're doing, okay?"

"Thanks. We'll need it."

* * *

The boat docked at Luca a couple days later, early in the morning. Esther couldn't sleep the prior night, so she was the first one off, followed by a drowsy Marcello. With a yawn, the two of them set off to the main square. As it was early in the morning, no one would be around except for the ones starting set up on their stalls. It was around this time Esther saw red. And not in a bad way. A red coat fluttered by as Esther stopped and turned to look at the person. The familiar walk from the game…

"...You're Auron, aren't you?"

* * *

 _ **Ending Note:** OKAY_ so I did lag a bit and ended it awkwardly, but I promise I'll get into it in the next chapter! I just have to remember the specifics. Someone suggested that I split Esther off from the group and not have her interact much with the main cast, and I'm sort of going with it but with a pilgrimage, Esther's path _will_ cross with the main cast's more often than not. As for the battle, I came up with some lore while talking to a friend. What if Summoners had to fight the Aeon before they would grant them their power, kind of like FFXV? Except instead of actually fighting them, they'd fight them in the dreaming world instead. Aaand that's when I realized that was my intention all along. There's so much lore I made up for this fanfic just off the top of my head. I'm sorry this chapter sucked, I was kind of trying to fit too much into too little. I'll try and fill in the plot holes as best as I can later. I apologize.

I'll update this fic sometime soon, hopefully, if I don't get lost within FFXIV again.


End file.
